{"id":2228,"date":"2018-07-18T04:51:11","date_gmt":"2018-07-18T04:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/besthealth.guide\/?p=2228"},"modified":"2021-10-12T03:32:46","modified_gmt":"2021-10-12T03:32:46","slug":"13-most-common-epilepsy-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/13-most-common-epilepsy-symptoms\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Most Common Epilepsy Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Epilepsy is a condition affecting the central nervous system \u2013 or a neurological disorder. This causes abnormal brain behavior, which includes the triggering of seizures, loss of consciousness, and unusual behavior.<\/p>\n

This kind of behavior and symptom is essentially caused by the unusual activity of neurons. Neurons are brain cells, and these can either be \u2018on or off\u2019 depending on their electrical charge. When a neuron fires, this causes us to experience the sensation, memory, emotion, or motion that is associated with that neuron.<\/p>\n

In a seizure, this activity is uncontrolled and affects a large part of the brain \u2013 leading to a sudden range of symptoms.<\/p>\n

are two main categories of seizure. These are \u2018generalized\u2019 and \u2018focal\u2019. A focal seizure means that the activity occurs only in one part of the brain. This might then cause a sudden movement for instance. Meanwhile, though, a generalizedThere seizure causes massive activity across the entire connectome (the technical term for all the neurons).<\/p>\n

This is the type of seizure that is the most dramatic to witness and also the most likely to cause a loss of consciousness.<\/p>\n

Epilepsy can be a life-changing condition, depending on how it manifests and how common the seizures are. To learn if you or someone you know might be suffering from the condition, read on.<\/p>\n

1. Triggers<\/h3>\n

For some people, epileptic seizures are brought on by specific \u2018triggers\u2019. The most well known of these is bright flashing lights and strobe lighting effects. This is called \u2018photosensitive epilepsy\u2019 and it\u2019s basically the result of the brain being particularly receptive to the \u2018input\u2019 that is light through the retinas. While this is the best-known form of epilepsy<\/a>, it is actually only responsible for a relatively very small 3% of patients.<\/p>\n

Other potential triggers include a lack of sleep, stress, even music! So again, while this isn\u2019t always going to be a symptom, if your seizures are caused by triggers, then there is a good chance that this is what\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n

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2. \u2018Feeling Strange\u2019<\/h3>\n

We have an unfortunate tendency to think of our health as a series of binaries. That is to say that we think of ourselves as being either \u2018healthy or not\u2019. We think we have \u2018diabetes or we don\u2019t\u2019. Or \u2018hypothyroidism<\/a> or we\u2019re fine\u2019. In reality, these conditions are almost always simply examples of a point on a sliding scale.<\/p>\n

You may not have diabetes, but that doesn\u2019t mean that you might not have poor insulin sensitivity. Or maybe \u2018prediabetes\u2019. You might not have hypothyroidism, but you may have metabolic syndrome. It has even been suggested that we all have some degree of cancer \u2013 only that in most cases our bodies are able to keep it in check.<\/p>\n

Likewise, an unusual activity likely happens in the brain all the time \u2013 just to not enough of a degree as to be a cause for concern. If you do notice that you are feeling unusual \u2013 dizzy, confused, staring into space \u2013 and this happens regularly, then consider speaking with your doctor to get a check-up.<\/p>\n

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\"\"3. Staring<\/h3>\n

One type of generalized seizure is the \u2018absence seizure\u2019. This form of seizure lacks the dramatic clenching of the teeth, writhing, or foaming at the mouth.<\/p>\n

Instead, this type of seizure simply causes the individual to stare blankly into space for a time. This type of seizure<\/a> tends to last about ten to twenty seconds, and during this time, the individual is unresponsive to their name or to touch.<\/p>\n

Other clues that this is what is happening include gentle movement of the eyes, drooping eyelids, lolling, or a sudden cessation of activity. As mentioned, it can be hard to spot someone who is acting a little less responsive for just 10 seconds, but if they\u2019ve suddenly stopped what they\u2019re doing mid-activity to stare forward, then there is a good chance they are having a seizure.<\/p>\n

Note that this type of seizure will normally occur a few times a day.<\/p>\n

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4. Sudden Limb Movements<\/h3>\n

Sudden limb movements are common during epileptic seizures. These are caused by focal seizures which affect a specific area of the brain \u2013 or to be more accurate, the motor cortex. This is the part of the brain that is responsible for controlling our movement and for feeling sensory input from the body.<\/p>\n

Therefore, a sudden, localized shot of activity in this part of the brain can cause the limb to jerk uncontrollably. This can be embarrassing for the individual having a seizure.<\/p>\n

Note that this can also be a sign of several other conditions. Of course, sudden limb movements are also associated with Tourette\u2019s<\/a> syndrome for instance. At the same time, this could even be a sign of \u2018alien limb syndrome\u2019. Here, the patient will move their limb without being consciously aware of their instructions to do so!<\/p>\n

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5. Unusual Senses<\/h3>\n

As alluded to earlier, sometimes it can be very hard to know if you or someone you know is having a seizure. That\u2019s because the symptoms can sometimes be quite mild and even abstract.<\/p>\n

An example of this is a change in the way the senses work. For example, you might find that the world suddenly looks a slightly different color! Likewise, you might become overwhelmed by a certain smell. It\u2019s also possible to feel as though you are moving a limb, or as though the pressure is on it when it isn\u2019t. Even something as seemingly innocuous as pins and needles can actually be a sign that this is happening.<\/p>\n

More common is flashing lights. You might be familiar with having flashing lights if you have ever had bad migraines<\/a> \u2013 and yes the two conditions are connected. So be careful out there!<\/p>\n

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6. Sudden Changes in Emotions<\/h3>\n

Sometimes you can find yourself suddenly crying or laughing uncontrollably. This is a very embarrassing aspect of a seizure for many people, but it\u2019s also a common aspect and one that a lot of people will experience.<\/p>\n

This is of course due to changes in the activity in the brain that this time is affecting the emotional<\/a> centers. The thing about the brain is that there is a center or a cortex for just about anything. And that means that a localized seizure can affect you in practically any different way.<\/p>\n

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7. Muscle Contractions<\/h3>\n

In a myotonic seizure, you will notice far more exaggerated and obvious symptoms, however. This is the type of seizure you are most likely to associate with the word and the kind that you may have witnessed in person or on TV.<\/p>\n

While there are many different symptoms of this kind of seizure, the most pronounced is the contraction and awkward writhing of the musculature. This is again simply due to the false positives that are firing throughout the body and causing all kinds of jerks and sudden movements.<\/p>\n

This type of seizure will very often cause the individual to fall down and may cause them to hurt themselves as a result. It\u2019s very important that you look after them: try to catch them if you can, and put them in the recovery position once they fall. The latter step will help to prevent them from swallowing their tongue<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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8. Foaming at the Mouth<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s no exaggeration to say that observing someone having a seizure can be very frightening. One of the big reasons for this is that it can cause foaming at the mouth. The foaming at the mouth is in turn triggered by a few different changes.<\/p>\n

Firstly, the clenching of the teeth and the writhing of the tongue actually excite the saliva glands and therefore trigger them to produce more \u2018juices\u2019 in the mouth. This is causes a lot of extra salivae which is in itself a rather noticeable and alarming symptom.<\/p>\n

At the same time though, the patient is also going to be breathing in and out very rapidly and in a very shallow manner. This forces air through the teeth (which are gritted while the mouth is open) and that pushes the saliva through. This action breaks up the saliva<\/a> and allows oxygen to enter, causing it to foam up and become bubbly. The result is that the patient ends up foaming at the mouth.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s completely harmless and not as frightening as it looks. However, it is very important nonetheless that you wipe the drool away if you can to prevent it from running down the back of their neck and potentially choking as a result.<\/p>\n

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9. Shallow Rapid Breathing<\/h3>\n

Another common symptom of a tonic seizure is that it causes rapid and shallow breath. This occurs for a number of different reasons.<\/p>\n

Firstly, the individual is breathing faster and more shallow because their body is in fight or flight mode \u2013 they are responding to the shock of the even by preparing for action. This includes oxygenating the muscles and the brain. At the same time though, the breathing is very shallow because the muscles have contracted around the lungs, preventing them from operating fully as normal.<\/p>\n

And because the oxygen<\/a> that does get in is being sent to the muscles and the organs in a protective mode, the lips may actually turn blue. It\u2019s easy to mistake this for a complete lack of breathing. Don\u2019t worry as this likely isn\u2019t the case: but do get your friend or relative to lie in the recovery position to prevent them from swallowing their tongue. Which can cause a loss of breathing!<\/p>\n

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10. Shouting<\/h3>\n

An atonic seizure can also cause the patient to shout out loud at the top of their lungs<\/a>, or to make strange noises or groans. This can be an alarming and disconcerting experience for any onlookers or anyone trying to help. However, the reason for it is quite simple and not a cause for alarm \u2013 it is simply that the muscles are contracting suddenly and forcefully around the chest, causing the individual to forcefully exhale and make a loud noise as they do so.<\/p>\n

If you notice someone suddenly shout like this, while it can be scary, it can also be a good opportunity to try and quickly help them by catching them or otherwise.<\/p>\n

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11. Going Limp<\/h3>\n

You might also notice that someone having a seizure is prone to going completely limp. This is due to a different form of seizure known as an \u2018atonic seizure\u2019.<\/p>\n

Here, the activity in the brain is actually going to suppress the motor cortex and cause it to shut off. In other words, rather than firing \u2018extra\u2019 and contorting the muscles, the body is now going to switch off the muscles, causing the individual to drop to the ground and lose all their strength and their posture<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You might also notice that their eyes roll back, that their head lolls and that they appear generally limp in other ways as well. Again, this may be scary, but it\u2019s not actually a cause for concern so long as you can avoid them from falling and hurting themselves.<\/p>\n

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12. Loss of Consciousness<\/h3>\n

It is common for individuals to lose consciousness<\/a> in a lot of generalized strokes. This is again not dangerous in itself and in most cases the patient will come around again in a matter of minutes \u2013 letting you know that they\u2019re okay and no long-term harm has been done.<\/p>\n

However, the loss of consciousness can be dangerous if it causes them to fall and hurt themselves. Of course, it could also be dangerous if they should be driving at the time or otherwise in charge of machinery. Again, it\u2019s a good idea to be on standby ready to jump in and help should they need it.<\/p>\n

Loss of consciousness also does not always occur. For instance, in an absence seizure, the patient may appear fully conscious. Likewise, in local seizures, it is very common for the patient to be conscious. In an atonic seizure even they may remain conscious or only lose consciousness very temporarily.<\/p>\n

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13. Pedaling Motion<\/h3>\n

A neonatal seizure is a seizure that will affect a very young baby. It\u2019s horrible to think that your baby might have a seizure! But the good news is that this type of seizure is generally very mild and short-lived.<\/p>\n

The most common symptoms of this kind of seizure include a pedaling motion of the legs: your child might pedal unstoppably as though they were riding a bike and you might find it hard to stop them. They might stare forward in a somewhat blank fashion while doing this.<\/p>\n

You might also notice that your child shows other mild symptoms<\/a> too \u2013 such as facial twitches or rolling of the eyes. This only tends to last a short time.\r\n

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